Felix Austria
by positivelymeteoric
Summary: When Deryn spies on Eddie Malone's final interview with Alek, she learns a new phrase. Pure fluff. Goliath spoilers!


**Finished **_**Goliath**_** yesterday and LOVED it. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that it ended.**

**This is supposed to take place a few hours after Deryn and Alek go topside for one last time at the end of **_**Goliath.**_

**Please review!**

Deryn supposed that she shouldn't really have been eavesdropping on the interview.

But really, when they hadn't even bothered closing the barking door all the way, they were practically asking to be overheard. Besides, Alek would probably tell her all of it anyways later tonight in one of their few precious moments alone as the _Leviathan _began the journey back across the Atlantic, back to London, where it had all began.

Had it really been only a few months ago? It felt like ages since she had been shaken awake by Jaspert in that tiny, smelly room. She grinned, remembering how she'd been a muddle of nerves that morning over how her disguise would hold up. Now, it seemed, there was nothing in the world for Deryn Sharp to be nervous about anymore.

After all, she'd planned revolutions and starred in newsreels, escaped fighting bears and Germans, and kissed anarchists and runaway princes alike.

And speaking of runaway princes, what was _taking _that bum-rag Malone so long?

Even though Alek had sacrificed his last secret for her, she still didn't trust Eddie Malone and his bullfrog, and the fact that he knew her own secret made her skin crawl.

She crept as close to the open door as she dared, trying to remain unseen. From her shoulder, Bovril gave a soft chuckle.

From inside Alek's stateroom, she could hear Malone's questions tumbling out faster than Alek could answer them. She could hear snatches of his voice as well in between Malone's- soft and low and familiar.

A not quite unpleasant shiver ran down her spine, and she remembered their kiss topside just a few hours ago.

Malone's voice cut through her daydream, pulling her back down to earth like hydrogen being vented out of an airship.

"And what are your plans now, your Serene Highness, seeing as you've given up your claim to the throne and you're no longer singing the praises of the late Mr. Tesla?"

It was silent for a long moment, broken by Alek's quiet laughter.

"Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria, nube."

Blisters. What in blazes did that mean? Deryn knew she had heard it somewhere before, but she hadn't the foggiest idea where.

That was the problem, with barking ex-princes. They could never say things plain and simple straight away.

It appeared that Malone too was confused by Alek's answer.

"Care to…er- elaborate on that? I'm afraid I don't speak Latin."

Alek laughed again, and when he spoke, she could practically see the daft look on his face that he got sometimes.

"No comment, Mr. Malone. Now, I'm afraid we're about to embark, so I'd suggest that you leave the _Leviathan_."

Deryn turned quickly down the hallway before either Alek or Malone could see her spying at the edge of the door. Her head was buzzing, desperately trying to remember what the sodding phrase meant.

Bovril chuckled again. "Tu felix Austria, nube."

Barking spiders. Even the beastie had figured this particular mystery out before she had. Now she knew how Alek felt half the time.

That night, she sat in bed, still working the phrase over in her brain. Bovril had stayed with her tonight, curled up rather heavily directly on top of her feet.

"Bella gerant alii," Deryn mused out loud.

"Library," said Bovril from its perch sleepily.

_Of course_.

She'd been such a ninny not to see it! Back in Istanbul, when she'd been trying to find out the name of Alek's mother, she'd looked through a book of Hapsburg family lines that seemed to have weighed as much as an elephantine. But she still remembered what had been stamped onto the leather cover on the book: Alek's family motto, the same thing that he had said to Malone that afternoon.

_Let others wage war._

But what did the second part mean? It had to be the most important, seeing how Bovril had repeated it. She looked down to the end of the bed, hoping that the beastie would mutter some sort of help.

"You, lucky Austria," it said drowsily through half opened eyes, "shall marry."

_Let others wage war. You, lucky Austria, shall marry._

But wouldn't that mean that Alek wanted to-

Oh.

_Oh._

A wild grin spread across Deryn's face, and she got that feeling again, like she was flying even though she was sitting in bed.

Lucky Austria, indeed.


End file.
